


part three: the calling of the chimes in the garden

by orphan_account



Series: no-game au [3]
Category: Vast Error
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Depression, F/F, No-game AU, antagonist!albion, very liberal use of headcanons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23164237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: i shouldve made this series a single work tbqh!
Relationships: Albion Shukra/Sovara Amalie, Albion Shukra/Tazsia Poemme
Series: no-game au [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1548694
Kudos: 17





	part three: the calling of the chimes in the garden

> Be Albion.

You know you have lost all of your purpose. In a single instant, everything was taken away from you like candy from a poor, grief-stricken baby. The world lied to you, your ancestors lied to you, everyone fucking lied to you- and for what? So you could grow up building resentment and power in emotions, only for it to crumble as a brick wall to a hammer? You don't understand. But now, the world doesn't need your help, and you no longer have a direction. No guidance, no destiny, no prophecy declaring a grand adventure you're meant to be set on. You do not receive anything of the sort. You know this to be fact.

But something in you hasn't accepted it yet. No, you’ve been living in strict denial for days now. Of course the thought is always there, always present; it claws weakly at a door in the back of your head, asking to be let free. But it is nothing but an insignificant itch you’ve chosen to ignore. You will not scratch it.

Because you have something of a plan.

It’s not a plan in the traditional sense. You don’t even know the finer details, know nothing of how you’re going to culminate it and reap the benefits of its manifestation. What you do know is that you’re going to create a greater purpose for yourself, whether the world likes it or not. Whether you like it or not. You’ve decided that even if you live in constant agony in a grander scheme of glory, at least you won’t be living in agony as a pathetic, useless, everyday sack of meat wasting away on a planet that was meant to die. At least, if you go through the former ideal, you will be remembered. Whether the hero or the villain, you’re not sure.

> Albion: Enter the cell.

After a few minutes of aimlessly wandering your hive, you sit down in front of the astral projector and let yourself be free of mortal shackles. There's always a fading feeling that comes with being in the cell, your body entering a dreamlike state where you're just on the edge of grasping reality, but your fingers slip through before you're able to. 

You're not sure what you're going to do here. The cell has many properties you've yet to explore, though you don't know how experimenting with them will bring you any closer to glorious salvation. But it's not like you're going anywhere anytime soon.

> Albion: Use your imagination.

One thing you've only tried out a few times is the Manifestation property. Within the limitless boundaries of the cell, you can will any object into existence before you, so long as you can clearly picture it in your mind's eye. You're not sure why you haven't played around with it as much.

But you think. You imagine the cold, smooth surface of a crystal ball, glittering in shades of pale pink and white. And in an instant, it appears in your hands. You turn it over a few times, noticing small imperfections of memory. It takes a few attempts, you've noted, to get used to Manifesting things. Like a warm-up for your brain.

You crush it easily between your palms and watch it disperse into a cloud of dust. You can do better, you can create something bigger than yourself.

You picture a pathway. Gray bricks lining the floor, adjacent to a pine forest on either side of the path. The trees tower above you, and you swear you can hear the gentle chirping of birds through the ambient bass thrum of the cell's space. Your gaze drifts to them for a moment, before settling back down in front of you.

> Albion: Take a walk.

You stroll down the seemingly endless path, gazing at the sheer abundance of greenery you've created (and continue to create, apparently, as tulips sprout from the floor where you step.) It gets boring quickly.

You come to a stop, then picturing a large staircase leading up towards the entrance to a palace, grand and vibrant with color, spires and towers ascending from every corner. Hauntingly familiar, like you’ve visited it in a dream once. For a second, you smile before you make your way inside.

It's empty. Polished and gorgeous, but empty. A pit of hollow sadness aches in your chest. Letting such lovely space go to waste is inhumane. You've never really tried to create a person before, not really. You don't know if it's even possible. But hesitation doesn't overpower the sickening loneliness you've been struck with for the last few wices, and you give it a shot anyways.

You imagine a random bystander first, someone plain-looking. Their face is undeterminable and yet, so familiar. Like you've seen it a thousand times before but you just can't place where. They smile at you, standing still.

ALBION: *hello*?

They wave at you, but no voice comes out. Hm. Must be because you don't know what an average voice sounds like. You wave their visage away, and picture someone you know. Someone whose face you have practically memorized every piece of, very clearly taking shape in your mind.

It’s a friend you've had since you were very young, and who is probably going to be disappointed in how you've been acting lately. His expression and body language seems to reflect those feelings, whether intentional or not.

ALBION: *hello*dear*  
ALBION: *you*dont*look*very*happy*to*see*me*  
ALBION: *is*something*the*matter*  
DISMAS: Ye/\h, something is.///  
DISMAS: Wh/\t the hell is wrong with you?///  
DISMAS: Moping /\round /\s you're concei\/ing selfish pl/\ns for s/\l\//\tion /\nd destiny isn't going to m/\ke you feel better///  
ALBION: *you*act*like*you*dont*possess*similar*habits*  
DISMAS: No wonder we /\ll despise you///  
DISMAS: You only think /\bout wh/\t _you_ w/\nt /\nd wh/\t n/\rrow ide/\ls you think /\re best for us///

You frown. He wouldn't say this to you, especially not like this. Could it be that the version of him that exists in your head isn't anywhere near to who he is in reality? Or is the Manifestation of your very own mind projecting your own feelings onto it? You clench your fists at your sides.

ALBION: *tell*me*what*i*want*to*hear*  
ALBION: *not*what*i*might*need*

His expression softens, catlike pupils dilating.

DISMAS: We miss you///  
DISMAS: I miss you///  
DISMAS: You c/\n't be h/\ppy like this, you're only self-destructing /\nd c/\tching people who c/\re /\bout you in the crossfire///  
ALBION: *none*of*us*are*happy*either*way*  
ALBION: *i*am*not*stupid*  
ALBION: *i*notice*changes*in*behavior*  
ALBION: *and*i*certainly*notice*when*everyone*isolates*themselves*  
ALBION: *i*promise*you*im*going*to*make*it*all*better*  
ALBION: *for*all*of*us*  
DISMAS: I don't think you know wh/\t you e\/en truly w/\nt///  
DISMAS: This c/\n't be it///  
ALBION: *you*do*not*know*me*nearly*as*well*as*you*think*you*do*  
DISMAS: We’\/e known e/\ch other since we were fucking three.///  
ALBION: *perhaps*  
ALBION: *but*have*i*ever*let*you*in*?  
DISMAS: I wish you would///  
DISMAS: Th/\t’s wh/\t I’m trying to tell you///

You dwell on your own words for a moment. How could you have just admitted to your own flaw so carelessly? Perhaps your walls have begun to crumble at last. ...You can’t let that happen. At all costs.

ALBION: *i*must*go*  
ALBION: *we*will*speak*to*each*other*some*time*later*

You dismiss him, then traversing the rest of the corridor until you meet a set of stairs that guide you to a small hallway, the walls lined with paintings of... visions. The Vivifier saving a poor young man from his doom. The Exemplar bursting into a fit of jealous rage, spending sweeps just plotting and scheming for the cataclysmic days to come. You don't want to look at the rest of them.

A door sits at the end of the hall, tempting you. You know someone's in there. Someone you want to see. You just sort of... stand there and stare at it. Your hand can't lift itself to the doorknob without a few seconds of dreadful hesitation.

You turn it, slowly, the hinges creaking as it reveals a soft-looking bedroom with red and pink decor. Sitting on the bed is a figure running her fingers through her cascading hair, not daring to turn back and look at you.

ALBION: *sova*?  
SOVA: (hm?)

She gives you a nervous glance, just barely peeking over her shoulder. There's an odd quality about her, like she's shifting in reality and reforming to fit an imperfect visage. Her features are softened, but not by nature; rather, she seems out-of-focus. Blurred at the edges and creases. But still, she's stunning to you. You wish you could reach out and brush her hair out of her face, maybe give her a kiss on the forehead. But now isn't the time for that, and you're not ready regardless.

ALBION: *how*are*you*feeling*?  
SOVA: (um, i dont know...)  
SOVA: (im just here i guess óvò)  
ALBION: *are*you*certain*everything*is*alright*?  
SOVA: (i think so)  
SOVA: (it all seems okay?)  
SOVA: (i havent seen you for a while...)  
ALBION: *ive*been*quite*busy*  
ALBION: *i*will*admit*i*have*been*meaning*to*make*an*attempt*to*spend*more*time*with*you*  
ALBION: *would*you*want*that*?  
SOVA: (im afraid)

You gasp quietly in confusion, easing your way towards her.

ALBION: *whats*the*matter*lovely*?  
SOVA: (do you think... this is okay?)  
ALBION: *im*not*sure*what*you*mean*  
SOVA: (i feel like something might... happen)  
SOVA: (like... theres this tension somewhere beneath us, just building itself up)  
SOVA: (not that i know what it is in the first place)  
SOVA: (you always seem to be very informed and... well!)  
SOVA: (well sometimes i feel very left in the dark by you)  
SOVA: (i mean... maybe not you... but)  
SOVA: (im sure your prolonged absences mean something in that regard)  
SOVA: (but maybe you do know what's best...)  
ALBION: *i*do*not*mean*to*keep*you*in*the*uninformed*crowd*  
ALBION: *but*i*do*know*whats*best*  
ALBION: *and*im*going*to*act*upon*it*accordingly*  
SOVA: (what will you do?)  
ALBION: *i*have*a*lot*of*decisions*i*need*to*make*about*that*  
ALBION: *but*i-

Something interrupts you, causing the facade to disappear, leaving you in the glimmering abyss once again. You turn to see your usual modus of communication with a bright red notification at the top, signifying that you have been contacted by someone. Your pinch the bridge of your nose.

\-- perniciousOverkill [PO] began trolling demiurgeQuantified [DQ] \--  
  
PO: ~You are NO+ self-isola+ing +ha+ easily~  
DQ: *oh*dear*how*the*tables*have*turned*themselves*  
DQ: *do*you*need*something*  
PO: ~yeah I fucking need some+hing~  
PO: ~I need YOU +o ge+ your fucking ass ou+ of wha+ever pit you’re wallowing in and wake +he fuck up~  
PO: ~I’m no+ going +o le+ you do +ha+!~  
DQ: *not*very*friendly*advice*here*peachplum*  
DQ: *dont*you*think*youre*crossing*the*lines*between*pink*and*black*a*bit*  
PO: ~+ha+’s a s+upid fucking excuse and you KNOW i+~  
PO: ~I don’+ care HOW I give you helpful advice, I’m s+ill giving i+ +o you all +he same~  
PO: ~Even if I have +o forcefeed i+ +o you like a fucking child~  
PO: ~li+erally everyone has been +rying +o ge+ ahold of you, +his isn’+ like you a+ all~  
PO: ~And I’m worried!~  
DQ: *well*  
DQ: *i*appreciate*your*concern*  
DQ: *although*it*is*very*much*unnecessary*  
PO: ~Doub+.~  
DQ: *i*promise*  
DQ: *i*am*simply*a*tad*busy*  
DQ: *can*i*get*back*to*you*later*?  
PO: ~NO!!!!!!!!~  
DQ: *im*afraid*that*was*more*of*a*suggestion*rather*than*a*question*  
DQ: *be*seeing*you*  
PO: ~WE’RE NO+ FUCKING DOING +HIS~  
  
\-- demiurgeQuantified [DQ] ceased trolling perniciousOverkill [PO] \--  
  
PO: ~FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~


End file.
